Fluid-pressure turbine.



Patented Apr. 23, |901.

F.. HonGKmsoN.

FLU|D PRESSURE TURBINE.

(Application led Mar. l, 1900.) (no lndal.)

UNITED lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

THE WESTINGHOUSE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PEN NSYLVANIA.

FLUID-PRESSURE TU RBINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,838, dated April23, 1901.

' Application filed March l, 1900. Serial No. 6,986. \N0 mOdell T a/ZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS HoDcKINsoN, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Wilkinsburg,in the county of Alleghenyand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement inFluid-Pressure Turbines, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to fluid-pressure tur- Io bines, and particularlyto means for attaching the blades or vanes to either the cylinders orthe drums of such engines or to both of the said parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a I5 means for attaching theblades or vanes to the supporting-drum or the cylinder of aiiuidpressure turbine which shall be of such character as to permit ofthe ready insertion and removal of the said parts and at the same 2otime insure the locking ofthe blades or vanes securely in position,so'that they are as rigidly supported as if they were cast or otherwisepermanently located in the positions which they. occupy in use. Withthese ends y in view I have devised the means shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in Which- Figure l is a side elevation, parts being brokenaway, of a fluid-pressure turbine constructed in accordance withv myinvention.

3o Fig. 2 is a detail rview of a portion of one annular set of blades orvanesand the correspending supporting and locking parts. Fig. 3r is adetail sectional view showing the means of fastening the blades or vanesin position.

3 5 Fig. 4 is a perspective of one of the blades or vanes constructed inaccordance with my invention, a portion of the free end being brokenaway. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a locking-block.

I have illustrated my invention as applied to a rotary steam-turbine ofthe well-known Parsons type, although it might be employed in connectionwith turbines of diiferent form and arrangement of parts from thoseshown.

The frame 1 of the engine embodies an outer casing 2, suitable bearings3 for the shaft 4 of a drum 5, and a cylinder 6 concentric with the drum5, all of these parts being of usual construction. The drum 5 is pro- 5ovided with a longitudinally-disposed series of annular sets of blades 7,the bases 7 a of which I-are firmly set in the periphery of the drum 5and the free ends of which terminate in close proximity to the innerperiphery of the cylinder 6. The cylinder 6 is provided with a se- 55ries ofannular sets of blades or guide-vanes 8, the bases 8a of whichare .firmly mounted in the inner wall of the cylinder and the free endsof which terminate in close proximity to the periphery of the drum. Thesets of blades 6o carried by the drum alternate in position with theblades or vanes carried by the casing from Y end to end, as is usual iuengines of this general character. It will be understood, however, thatthe blades or vanes in the several sets pertainingto the cylinder mayextend entirely around or only partially around Vthe periphery ofthecasing, and in case any or all of the sets occupy less than a completecircumference the intervening space will pref- 7o erably be occupied bya solid ring.

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate an entire set of blades orvanes pertaining to either of the members of the engine, for the reasonthat my present invention is not in any Way concerned with the number ofvanes or blades in the several sets or in the relative locations of suchsets, except so far as an operative construction andarrangement isnecessary.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2 to 5, inclusive, the outerperiphery of the drum 5 is provided with a series of undercut annularrecesses or grooves 9, the series extending from end to end of the drumand spaced apart a suflicient distance to provide spaces of thenecessary width for the corresponding blades or guide-vanes 8, carriedby the surrounding cylinder 6. The inner periphery of the cylinder 6 issimilarly pro- 9o vided with a series of undercut annular grooves orrecesses 10, which alternate in position with the corresponding groovesin the drum from end to end. Each of the blades 7 is provided with abase-block 7 a, prefer- 95 ably formed integral with the blade and ofsuch form and dimensions as to closely fit the groove 9, in which it isto be placed, and each blade or vane 8 is provided with a like base 8a,adapted to fit the grooves 10. In the loo case of the blades 7 it is ofcourse advisable to make the outer faces of the base-blocks 7suicient-ly concave to fit the bottom surface of the annular groove orrecess 9, and in the case of the cylinder-blades 8 it is desirable tomake the outer faces of the base-blocks 8 suliiciently convex to fit thebottom of the annular groove or recess 10.

The annular grooves or recesses 9 and 10 are shown as of dovetail formin cross-section; but they may be given a different form, if desired, solong as they are undercut suiii ciently to hold the vanes or bladessecurely in position.

In order that the blades 7 may be readily inserted and that afterinsertion they may be firmly locked in position, I provide a recess 11adjacent to and communicating with one side of each annular recess 9,its depth being the same as that of the adjacent annular recess and itsform and lateral dimensions being such as to permit of the readyinsertion therein of the base-block of each blade The blades are placedin position by inserting their base-blocks one at a time in the annularrecess, through the recess 11, and then j moving the block along theannular recess to any convenient point or until it abuts against a blockpreviously inserted. The blades and their blocks may be moved both waysfrom the insertion-recess 11 to proper position, and, in fact, more thanone inserting-recess may be provided for each annular recess, ifdesired, the block in each set th-at is last inserted being of courseadjacent to an inserting-recess in any case. After all the blades of aset are in position a lockingblock 12 will be dropped into the recess 11and a screw 13 or other fastening device inserted to hold the blockfirmly in position, The edge of the block 12 adjacent to the annularrecess 9 will of course be beveled or undercut, as indicated in Fig. 5,so that when in position the cross-section of the annular recess will beuniform throughout.

The casing 2, of which the cylinder 6 constitutes a part, being formedin two sections separable along a horizontal plane through the axis ofthe cylinder, each half of the cylinder will have a series of grooves,and if these grooves are continued to the edge either at one or at bothsides the base-blocks 8ZL may be inserted at the open ends of suchgrooves and the insertion-recesses and locking-blocks omitted. In casethe grooves have closed ends, however, recesses 11, blocks 12, andscrews 13, which correspond, respectively, to the parts 11, l2, and 13of the drum, will be employed.

While I have shown my improvement as applied to both the drum and thecylinder, it will be understood that it may be embodied in only one ofthese parts, if desired. It will also be understood that theconstruction and arrangement of parts may be varied within reasonablelimits without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. A fluid-pressure turbine,one of thebladesupport-ing members of which is provided with undercut grooves andlaterally-offset insertion-recesses and with sets of blades or vaneshaving integral base-blocks that are removably iitted into andcompletely fill said grooves, and locking-blocks fitting into saidrecesses.

2. A fluid-pressure turbine,one of the bladesupporting members of whichis provided with undercut circumferential grooves `and withlaterally-offset insertion-recesses, in combination with blades or vaneshaving integral base-blocks formed to accurately fit said grooves andlocking-blocks located in said insertion-recesses.

3. In a fluid-pressure turbine, the combination with a member having acylindrical periphery provided with a series of annular undercutrecesses and with a laterally-projecting recess communicating with eachannular recessat one side, of a plurality of sets of blades or vaneshaving baseblocks adapted to fit said undercut grooves and blocksfitting into said laterally-projecting recesses to lock the blades inposition.

4. A iiuid-pressure-turbine member provided with an annular recesshaving undercut sides, in combination With a set of blades or vaneshaving base pieces or blocks fitting in said annular recess, and aremovable block seated in a recess adjacent to and comm unicating withsaid annular recess for locking the blades in position.

5. In a huid-pressure turbine, a. drum having a series of annulardovetail grooves and a series of recesses projecting laterallytherefrom, in combination with a series of separably-removable bladeshaving dovetail baseblocks seated in said grooves, locking-blocksfitting the laterally-projecting recesses and means for removablyfastening' said lockingblocks in position.

6. A fluid-pressure turbine, at least one of the blade-supportingmembers of which is provided with circumferential undercut grooves andwith recesses projecting laterally' from said grooves, in combinationwith blades having base-blocks fitting in and filling said grooves andlocking-blocks'fitting in and lling said recesses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day ofFebruary,

FRANCIS HODGKINSON. Witnesses:

WESLEY G. CARR, W. SUMNER SEIBERT.

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